Brown Sugar Garlic Pork with Carrots & Potatoes

Just 6 ingredients and less than an hour are all that separates you from this awesome meal with caramelized Brown Sugar Garlic Pork and roasted vegetables.

Sticky and sweet with a punch of garlic, this Brown Sugar Garlic Pork loin is sure to be a huge hit with your family. Serve it up with some roasted carrots and potatoes on the side for a healthy balanced meal. From start to finish it is 45 minutes, most of which is just letting it cook in the oven!

Ahh Thursdays! They are usually the hardest day of the week for me as I always wish they could just be Friday but am always disappointed there is another day before I can just unwind for the weekend with extra help from the hubby with the kids. It is also usually the day we used to order food in since I am almost always running on empty energy wise and making dinner feels like a chore.

These are the days I reserve for meals like this. Easy meals I don’t need to worry about watching on the stove top as the kids run around me throwing legos and trying to pry open every can of play doh we own (I can NOT stress enough the level of hate I have for those two toys that will create a mess and get smashed into fabrics or cause you to have severe foot pain when you step on them). I even bought special bags to store the blocks in and a great organizing rack for the play doh, but it still ends up EVERYWHERE. Any parents have any tips for me on containing them?

To make this deliciously easy meal, we start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. Mix 1/4 cup canola oil, salt and pepper with sliced carrots and potatoes and put onto a sheet tray.
Mix 1 tbsp canola oil, brown sugar, garlic and rub all over pork loin.
Roast the pork for 40-50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers at 150 degrees in the center of the roast. At the same time, roast the vegetables and leave them in to finish cooking while the pork rests outside the oven. Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes.
Remove vegetables from oven and serve with sliced pork.

Here’s a video of the recipe too!

4.67 from 39 votes

Print

Brown Sugar Garlic Pork with Carrots & Potatoes

Just 6 ingredients and less than an hour are all that separates you from this awesome meal with caramelized Brown Sugar Garlic Pork and roasted vegetables.

Instructions

On one large cookie sheet, put down some foil and add the carrots and potatoes.

Spread apart the vegetables to make an opening in the pan for the pork.

Add the pork to the pan.

Roast the pork and vegetables for 40-50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers at 150 degrees in the center of the roast.

Open your oven and remove the pork onto a plate or cutting board to let it rest and cover it with a piece of foil.

Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes, then remove the veggies from the oven once you are ready to serve the pork.

This allows them to finish cooking while only using one pan and makes sure they are hot when the pork has rested.

Not a fan of pork? Make this with chicken and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes at the same temperature. Also, this glaze is super sticky! Do yourself a favor and roast the pork on a sheet of foil!

Psssst… want to hear a little secret? This recipe is one of 10 in my FREE e-book 5-10-30: 5 Cuisines, 10 Full Meals and 30 Total Ingredients that is a bonus for email subscribers only! It includes shopping lists that set you up for two weeks of weeknight dinners with no ingredient waste and tips for cooking and alternate ingredient options. If you haven’t subscribed for updates you may want to now and get the e-cookbook FREE!

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

My family and I loved it!!! I actually made this at my sisters one night intending to bring it back to my mom n dad……Let’s just say it never made it home my niece n nephew loved it, especially the glazed veggies!!!! You know how hard it is to get a 18, and 22 year old to put veggies on their plate?? lol They’re worse than little kids cause they think they’re so grown. Thanks for a tasty recipe!

It’s great that they liked the veggies so much. I can’t imagine children who don’t love veggies. Mine are 24 and 21 and my daughter refused to eat meat even as a very young child. In 24 years I think she has had chicken maybe six times in her life and that is the only meat she has ever eaten. My 21 year old son will eat anything that you put in front of him. Needless to say I have never had any problems with them eating veggies. (Gasp, my kids even very young has loved tofu as well).

You have just saved dinner for me. I actually got some pork out this morning and have been trying to figure out something new–and quick–do to with if for tonight. Done, and done!! Thanks for the inspiration!

The size of the roast I used about a pound and a half and it was the pork loin. If you were to use a tenderloin and roast it for the same amount of time it would be super dry. The flavors certainly can be used on any cut of meat, but to cook the tenderloin I would stick to 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. You’d have to roast the vegetables for longer, but certainly it can be done. 🙂

Now that is how you cook pork! Dang I can taste it already! I like to do a lot with Pork because it is so much cheaper than beef. This is definitely a recipe I have to put to use next week! We have pork scheduled for Tuesday!

I plan on making this tonight, but in order to save on cost and the fact there are only 2 of us who will eat it, I got loin chops. The loins were like $15 as they were all pretty large. I will also be making separate sides (sweet potatoes and green beans). Do you think there is an adaption for just cooking chops like this? I’m wondering if I can rub them down and use twine to tie them into a loin and cook it the same way or if I should just bake them in a Pyrex laid out individually. If you have any suggestions as far as cooking temp and time that would be greatly appreciated.

To be honest if they are thick enough, I would sear on super high heat in a cast iron skillet then add the topping over the chops and finish it in the oven. Since it has sugar in it, it will caramelize fairly quickly. I would do it at 400 degrees, and depending on the thickness maybe 5-7 minutes in the oven? Are these chops with or without bone?

You can also try and tie it together, but you’d have to do a pretty good job of holding it all together to get it to cook evenly.

I didn’t see your response before starting dinner. I ended up stacking them together (4 in thick boneless chops) like a roast with no tie (I only had a tiny piece left so I went without). I used a small baking dish so they stood up on their sides. I used same temp and time as your recipe. I will do it by searing them next time and then putting them in the oven as the 2 inner pieces were still a little too pink in the center. It worked for this occasion because I served the 2 outer pieces and the other 2 pieces are left overs. This way they won’t be over done when re-heated. Thank you!! Great recipe! Picky pork chop husband loved them!

Sabrina – this looks so wonderful. I have used brown sugar and sliced potatoes before with pork chops and mushroom soup. Sounds weird, but really good. I am sure this will be fantastic. I am going to go out on a limb and fix this for Christmas Eve dinner for a few neighbors. it sounds simple enough. I am also having a turkey breast, so they have a choice. Hopefully they can cook in the oven together, otherwise will use my Ninja. Love this. Making scalloped potatoes but will definitely make some carrots as well. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.

I made it with pork loin, I would cook for 45-50 minutes and check the temp at that point. I look for 160 degrees as a rule of thumb for pork. If you want to email me directly would be happy to discuss further too 🙂 [email protected]

My 1.6 lb pork loin also didn’t cook in 30 minutes – I’m on 1 hour right now and I’m hoping it’s done so I can eat before getting my infant ready for bed! It was only at 99 degrees after a half hour. It smells great, though!

Erin, you’ve been cooking the 1.6 pound loin for 1 hour and it isn’t to temperature yet? Let me know how this turned out for you, I suspect there maybe your oven may be running a little cool? If you want to email me ([email protected]) I’d be happy to troubleshoot with you too. Hope dinner makes it on the table in time, I have a newly minted toddler who would be very unhappy about a late bedtime too.

Sorry for the confusion. I make the recipe a couple of times a month and always roast together. When I made the dish for the post I used a cookie sheet that was too small instead of my normal sized one so I didn’t have space for the pork. The pork and the veggies are definitely roasted together and uncovered. I’ll add some clarity to the instructions too. Hope you enjoy it.

I’ve made it with a tenderloin, it took about five minutes less but my tenderloin was doubled up and tied together to form a thinner version of a loin cut.

It also depends on how “done” you like your pork I guess. I go for a hint (and I mean a hint, haha) of pink in the middle so it doesn’t dry out and I use an infrared thermometer in my oven. The timing is pretty exact, but I know oven times can vary which is why I would definitely suggest going by doneness. I’m glad you enjoyed it though!

This looks absolutely yummy! Was wondering if this could be adapted for the crock pot? My crock pots(I have 2) are my favorite kitchen appliance. I absolutely love the taste of food after it’s cooked all day. Not to mention the how the yummy smells fill the air.

What cut pork would you be using? A loin? The thing about putting the loin in the slow cooker is that it is naturally a lean cut of pork. So the longer it stays in the slow cooker it is going to dry out. Now if you used pork shoulder and added the rest of the ingredients to it and put it in the slow cooker with no additional liquids, I think you’d have a fantastic meal!

I was wondering what green herb you used to garnish this dish. It looks really delicious. I am nervous about making it, because my pork loin is usually dried out, but I’m going attempt it with your directions and see how it goes. Thanks!

Yum! I made this last night and it was delicious – husband approved! I ended up using two sheet pans one for veggies and one for the pork and I’m glad I did – the juices from the pork mixed with the brown sugar to bubble up into a sort of foam which started to bubble over the edge of the pan, so I just transferred it to another pan with clean foil which solved the burning bubbling sugar-juice problem 🙂

I just made this for the second time. Followed your directions exactly, with total success. Not only is it delicious, is rather dramatic. Here’s what happens the first time you make it: The aroma wafts through the house and is…different, no one can quite put their finger on it. They come. They sniff, they ask. Noses wrinkle. Brown sugar? And garlic? Ewww… They pick. Taste. Sample. Pick some more. You perch at the kitchen island and check your iPhone for messages. Fingers are replaced with plates and forks. You scroll and try not to look smug. The second time was just as much fun, I was practically fluffing my hair. Ha! And it was so easy! Love it. Thanks!

I had a pork sirloin that was exactly 2 lbs. (Is that the same as loin?) The veggies were done after 45 min, but the pork needed about twice that long. Bummer.
What is the green herb/spice rubbed on yours in the picture? I don’t see that in the recipe.

I don’t think I’ll put the veggies and meat on the same pan again. The “blobs” of pork fat got on the vegetables–eww!

The sirloin is not the same as the loin – the loin is a leaner cut of meat, so it cooks more quickly, and won’t get fat on your vegetables. I’m not sure which spice you’re referring to, but the green on top is just parsley for color.

I am not sure where I went wrong… But this took about 45 min to cook, the veggies still weren’t done once the 1.5 lb pork was. And then it was completely flavorless. All that garlic and brown sugar didn’t seem to touch it. Super bummed.

So sorry, this comment got snared in the spam filter somehow! What cut of pork were you using? Sometimes if the cut is thicker it may take longer to cook. Also, did the ingredients stay on the pork? I would think with such flavorful ingredients baked directly onto it, you’d have a very powerful flavor. If you want to troubleshoot I would be happy to go through the recipe in detail with you and see where it went wrong for you? My email is contact @ dinnerthendessert . com

This is currently in my oven and smells AMAZING! I signed up for your ebook too and am going to make all the recipes over the next 2 weeks. We are really boring when it comes to food and cuisines and I think this might be the ticket to get out of our chicken-beef-chicken rut! Thanks so much for sharing it!

Unfortunately, my pork loin was also flavorless. Sorry, but I know I won’t be trying it again. On the bright side though, the potatos and carrots that were cooked with the pork were awesome. Just as a side note – your recipe says 5 minutes prep and 35 minutes cooking time but in your directions it says to cook your pork 40 – 50 minutes.

Can I ask if your topping stayed on the pork? They’re pretty flavorful toppings, so I’m at a loss at how it could’ve lacked flavor. Would be happy to troubleshoot via email if you’d like? contact @ dinnerthendessert.com

It’s hilarious I just caught this comment now (sorry your comment totally got snared somehow by the spam filter). I made this recipe for dinner on Friday and my husband came home with chops instead of the loin. I sent him back to get the loin instead. You can make it as chops but the chops will dry before the coating has a chance to fully cook down and caramelize, I would highly suggest using the loin.

I have a 5 lb pork tenderloin that I would love to try this recipe with. How long and at what temperature do you suggest I cook the pork? Also, should I double the recipe then for the brown sugar glaze?

Sorry this comment took so long to get to, it ended up in my spam filter somehow! Sure you can, maybe if possible do a mixture of olive oil with another oil that has a higher burning temperature though.

This dish was easy and quick to make, though the pork didn’t have a lot of flavor. However, the vegetables were delicious, as they had roasted in the fat and sugar of the meat. I stirred in a capful of maple syrup with the vegetables and, between that and the brown sugar, they tasted like Thanksgiving!

Sorry this comment took so long to get to, it ended up in my spam filter somehow! Sorry I just found a huge number of comments over the last three months that was snared in the spam filter and I am trying to follow up with each one now even though in your case I am way too late to help. That being said I wouldn’t use presliced loin because it would dry out. Did you try it? How did it turn out?

The greatest solution to wrangle the lego problem is, get a bed sheet queen or king and place all the legos on the sheet, let the kids play on the floor on the sheet. When finished pull up the sheet, legos and all, and place in a large rubbermade tub, put the lid on and they are out of sight and contained till next time.

Sorry for the delay in responding! Yes that is a totally different cut of meat and I wouldn’t recommend it with the veggies in the same pan since you’ll need to cook much longer. I would refer to this chart for cooking recommendations. For three pounds you’re going to be anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. I would test for doneness after an hour.

I know that this is an old post so I’m not sure if you’ll see this but I found this recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight. I made it exactly according to your directions and none of the brown sugar rub stayed on the pork. All of it ended up on the foil which caused a lot of the potatoes to stick to it. Super bummed because it smelled delicious and I was very excited to eat it. The veggies had good flavor because of the rub but the pork loin was flavorless. I would like to try this again but don’t know what to do to keep the rub on the pork. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Sorry this comment took so long to get to, it ended up in my spam filter somehow! I would love to trouble shoot with you. This is the most popular recipe on the site. Want to email about it? It could be something as simple as the cut of meat, did you have a flat top where the fat cap is? If you find it is sloped you can cut a bit of a criss cross pattern in the fat and press the seasonings into the top of it. If you want to email I am always available, contact @ dinnerthendessert.com

I would suggest this version for your slow cooker instead, the bacon helps shield the lean cut of pork from drying out: dinnerthendessert.com/slow-cooker-bacon-garlic-pork-loin/ I made that recipe to be a slow cooker version of this one. 🙂

If you’re looking for a slow cooker recipe, I have a Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin recipe, but the slow cooker won’t work as well with this recipe. You also can’t substitute for pork chops because they will dry out.

It may double your time needed in the oven. On average, it’s suggested 20 min per pound. I would just keep an eye on it and roast it until a meat thermometer registers at 150 degrees in the center of the roast. Hope this helps!

No need to sear it. The size of the roast I used about a pound and a half and it was the pork loin. If you were to use a tenderloin and roast it for the same amount of time it would be super dry. The flavors certainly can be used on any cut of meat, but to cook the tenderloin I would stick to 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. You’d have to roast the vegetables for longer, but certainly it can be done. ?

I am a college student and absolutely love to cook and this recipe sounds delicious! I have a quick question, My pork loin is longer and thinner than the one pictured, will the cooking time be different? And also, do you roast the pork in the same pan as the veggies/potatoes? Or in separate pans? I am looking forward to trying this recipe!

The cooking time may be shortened a bit because it’s not as thick so I would keep an eye on it and use a meat thermometer to help determine when it’s done. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that yes, you can make it all in one pan saving you some clean up 🙂

Made this tonight and it was OUTSTANDING!! My husband raved over the carrots and potatoes – he HATES carrots. Even my picky son, tried one, but said he did not like it, which I expected. Liked potatoes, which is good for him, was worried about the garlic and I love garlic. That same picky son said he liked the garlic, so expanded his palette a bit. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!!

I used the “Print” option button. To my dismay, it printed 53 pages and included all the comments I have no need for in order to try this dish. Wasted lots of ink and paper. Just thought I’d let others know…Think twice before trying to print it out!

I would hesitate to say yes. Boston butt has a different fat content than the loin so it wouldn’t be the same. If you decide to try, I’d love for you to come back and let me know how it turned out for you.

We are having this for dinner because…Thursdays. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

As far as legos, sheesh. We have tried so many different fixes, and some have worked for a time, some not so much. But playdoh? My kids can only play playdoh when I ok it, and that is never when the baby is awake. We also have a playdoh “mat” (it’s really just a vinyl tablecloth) that we spread on the floor. When it’s all said and done, the playdoh goes back into it’s rubbermaid box and I an take the tablecloth outside and shake it off. It works for us. I hope you find a fix!

Oh no! Were you able to check the doneness with a meat thermometer? Feel free to email me at contact @ dinnerthendessert .com and we can try to troubleshoot what may have been the issue. It’s definitely a favorite in our house and a tried and true method.

Okay, so this is going to sound crazy…Is there anything I can substitute for the brown sugar? I’m looking for an easy oven pork roast recipe, but my hubby won’t go for “sweet meat.” Suggestions?Other than find another recipe, lol 🙂

Well, you could leave out the brown sugar but it would change up the flavor. You could also use honey instead but I’m not sure if that’s still falls into the “sweet meat” category for him. Have you checked out my Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork recipe?